Life guard for street cars or similar vehicles



F. N, ROOT. LIFE GUARD FOR STREET CARS 0R SIMILAR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 0011 18, I921. 1,414,435.

Patented May 2, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i :EIC-:EE- w 3mm fled N. Roof F. N. ROOT.

LIFE GUARD-FOR STREET CARS 0R SIMILAR VEHIQLES APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 1921.

1 ,414,435 I Patented May 2,.1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Guam 8 city and county" of Kalamazoo,

UNITED STATES PA ENT FFIC -x FRED 1v. ROOT, or KALAMAZOQ, MICHIGAN. 1

LIFE GUARD on STREET ones on SIMILAR vnirrcnns.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern: y

'Be it known that I, FRED N. B001, 21- citizen of the United States, residin at the tate. of lvfichig'an, have invented; certain. newand useful Improvements in Life Guards for Street Cars or Similar Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

' Y This invention relates to improvements in lifeguards for street cars or similar vehicles.

;The objects of the invention are; Y First, to provide a very simple and ef- "fective mean'sfor actuation ofthe cradle and fo gmaintaining it in elevated position until-needed.

' A furtherfobject is to providea very economical and strong structure which is elastic and consequently especially effective "in gathering up obstructions on the track.

Objects relating to details and economies of construction. will definitely appear from V the description 'to follow.

accomplish the objects of my invention by; the devices and means described in the following specification; The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims. .Z A structure which is a preferred embodi mentof my invention is fully illustrated in V i the accompanying drawing, forminga part ofthisspecification, in which 2 Y Y Fig- 11s perspective, view of my 1mpro'ved structure with the cradle 1n elevated position and the trippingand actuating gate in operative position, any portionof the car to which it is applied-being omittediexcept aifragment of a section of the floor board.

. *Fig; 11 is a similarperspective view after theigate has been tripped and the basket has been lowered to receive theobstruction. Fig. 111 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view showing the'di'sposition of the parts when the basket is in elevated position and thegate in position to be tripped by an'obstruction and actuate the basket.

Y Fig. IV is a detail view of the lock joint ing the cradle.

,111 the drawlng similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views.

Considering the I drawing, 1 is the cradle generally. 2 is the rock shaftjcarryi'ng the same, and 3 bracket bars for attachment to the under framework of a street car. Transverse slats 4 are careach end of the bars 5. These areshort numbered parts of the Y Specification of Letters Patent. Patehtd May 2', 19 22 Application filed October 18,1921. s'erialno. 508,421],

ried by the curved spring arms 5 whichare conformed I into downwardly projecting curved surfaces toward their forward ends at 6, the forward ends being upturned at 'Z, 8is an upwardly projecting arm secured to the -central part of bars 5"by suitable bolts; 9 is a forwardly extending coiled spring, connecting ;the upperend of the arm 8 to the underside of the platform of the car to insure the very-prompt action of thesame and also to urge the same downwardly, thereby putting tension :upon the lock connection, hereafter to be described. 1

Attaching brackets "81 are provided at Y bars turned into "eyes ,82 at their lower ends and are, secured'to the end cross bars by bolts 83. The eyes 82"are" to embrace the rock shaft 2*and in connection with the said cross bars afiord avery efiective strong'and yet elastic support; for the said cradle.

10 isa suspended swinging gate made up of'c'ross bars 11 and transverse slats 12 and p 7 suspended on the rock shaft 13 which is supported in suitable brackets 14 adapted to be secured to the under side of theplatform 101;, ri-ameofa car. An'elbow arm 15 (see Figs. m- II -I ilIlClIV) having a rearwardl proj ecting portionl e isconnected bysuitable. pivots '18 to the lin k'l7, the rear'endofwhich ispconnected at 1 7 to the upwardly projecting arm 8 of the cradle. The forward end of the Y link l7-fand the rear portion 'ofthe contactingpart of thearm 16 are cut with a beveled limits the downward movement} An elbow 20-is secured-tothe slats 12 of r the gate at'the front and extends rearwardly therefrom and a treadle bar 22' extends" through the floor ofthe car and is provided 9, withapedal23. f The action of my improved lifeguardwilh be readily understood from an examination of the drawing. In the position appearing Y in Figs. '1 and III the structure is readyfor action. Ifany considerable obstruction is on the track it' will bestruck by'the swinginggate 10,which will throw the arm. 16 upwardly which will carry the forward end Y of the link l7upwardly and forwardly with 105 it and break thetoggle by which the cradle is held in elevated position and pull the arm 8 1 forward, Spring 9 at once, by positiveaction, tends to force the cradle down againstthe track and the obstruction is received over 110" 7 "body. The lifeguard" is'at once again set' 10 rif'or'action by steppingupon the pedal 23 the front edge thereof. Because the "bars 5 are of spring metal and are supported as they are, they yield in Ethelevent .ofanyr considerable pressure andfree themselves from any irregularity on-the rail or the track, passing over without in ury to the i device,

but at the same time effectively picking-up any obstruction, suchas a prostrate human which swings the gate 1O strongly to :the front and, by the toggle, forces the arm 8 secured to the basket, rearwardly against the action of the spr ng 9, wh ch at once tensions and lowers the whole device as soon asthe pivot 18 passes downward past the dead center.

"-Havin thus described in invention what 2, 7

parts secured to said angled cross bars, ,an

upwardly projecting arm on'the said cradle, a suspended pivoted gate with brackets for supporting it. under the front portion of the platform of a car, a. rearwardly projecting arm on said gate, a; pivoted link connecting the vrear end of said arm and the upwardly projectingzarrn on the said cradle with beveled oint between the said arm and linkv fordimit'ingits downward movement, and a tension springadapted to connect the upper end of thejarm of thecradle to-the under side of the -car, and resetting meansycomr prising arearward'ly QXtGIlCllHgdGVBI arm secured to the said gate with an, upwardly disposedi treadle piece adapted Ito extend above'the floor of a car, all coactin-g as speci- I v ded with a beveled stop joint to limit'the 2. In a'lifeguarcha cradle adapted tobe disposed beneath. the car comprising angled cross bars of spring metal with upwardly extending irear portions and forwardly extending 'lower portions offset: downwardly toward their forward ends to form sliding supports an d iwith their endsupturned,

' transverse slats -onsaid"cross bars,'a supporting rock shaft disposed with nthe lower rear part of said cradle, and cross bars with eyes-turned therein to embrace" the said rock w shaftwthe up aer )ortionsof said e e bars bein g secured to the angledcross bars, coacting as specified.

In a lifeguard, a cradle adapted to be disposed beneath the car comprising angled cross bars of spring metal with upwardly extending rear portions and forwardly exhand and seal.

tending lower portions, transverse slats on' said cross bars, a supporting rock shaft dis posed within the lower rear part of said cradle, and crossbars with eyes turned therein to embrace the said rock shaft the upper portions of said eye bars being secured to the angled cross bars, coacting as 4. In a lifeguard, the combination of a cradle made up of cross bars of spring metal being upwardly disposed at their rear ends and horizontally disposed towards their forward ends, cross slats therefor, a supporting rock shaft disposed within said cradle and retainedtheretoby suitable eye bars with upwardly extending partsecured to the'back part of the cradle,a spring for pulllng the same forward, a suspended gate on a suitable rock shaft in front of the said cradle, a rearwardly projecting armsecured-to the said gate, a link pivoted to the said arm and pivotally connecting the upwardly projecting armon the said cradle, the same being provided with a beveled stop joint to limit the movement beyond the dead center, a rearwar'dly projecting arm on said gate, and a pedal barv connected-thereto adapted to ex tend above the platform'of the car, coacting as specified. Y

5, In a lifeguard, the combination of a cradle made up of cross bars of spring metal being upwardly disposed at their rear ends and horizontally disposed towards their for;

ward ends, cross slats therefor, a supporting rock shaft disposed within the saidcradle and retained thereto by suitable'eye bars, an upwardly extending arm secured to the back part of the cradle, a spring for pulling the same forward, a suspended gate on'a suitable cross bar in front of the said cradle,a rearwardly projecting arm secured to'the said gate,-a link'pivoted tethe said arm and pivotally connecting the upwardly projecting arm; on the said cradle, the same being pro- ,7

movement beyond the. dead center, means-to reset said cradle and gate, coacting as specified. c

V 6. Ina lifeguard, thercombination of a cradle comprising-cross bars of spring metal and having an upwardly'projecting spring arm secured thereto,a' suspended gate, an

arm secured to said gate, a pivoted-link' 1 side'of the 

